^^^•^••^ 


HE  ART: 
ETHICS 

F  DRESS 


'Farnswortih 


GIFT  OF 


THE  ART  fcf  ETHICS 
OF  DRESS 


Styles  in  good  taste  for  reception  or  calling.  "Every 
one  who  adds  beauty  of  raiment  to  goodness  of  soul 
makes  goodness  doubly  dear." 


THE  ART  &  ETHICS 
OF  DRESS  -Asrelatedto 
Efficiency  and  Economy 
By  Eva  Olney  Farnsworth 

Illustrations  by  Audley  B.  Wells 


Paul  Elder  &  Company 
Publishers  •  San  Francisco 


Copyright,  1915 

Paul  Elder  &  Company 

San  Francisco 


n\ 


TO  MY  NIECE  MAUDE,  WHOSE 
SYMPATHY  HAS  MADE  THIS 
WORK  POSSIBLE,  AND  TO  ALL 
WOMEN  WHO  REGARD  CARE  OF 
THE  BODY  EVEN  TO  THE  DETAILS 
OF  DRESS  A  SACRED  DUTY 


CONTENTS 

FOREWORD xi 

FITNESS        3 

BEAUTY 13 

ETHICS 41 

THE  PATRICIA  GARMENT   ....51 


[v] 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

FACING  PAGE 

Styles  in  Good  Taste  for  Reception  or  Calling. 
"Everyone  who  adds  beauty  of  raiment  to  good- 
ness of  soul  makes  goodness  doubly  dear  "  .  . 
Frontispiece 

Effect  of  high  heels :  The  body  thrown  forward  to 
maintain  equilibrium  makes  normal  breathing 
impossible,  because  the  muscles  which  expand 
the  apexes  of  lungs  are  not  in  position  to  exert 
their  full  power 4 

"Grace  of  motion  is  a  finer  quality  than  faultless 
proportions.  A  marble  statue  may  be  exquisite 
in  form,  but  cannot  be  compared  to  an  elastic, 
spirited  woman,  whose  every  gesture  indicates 
soul" 6 

Masculine  outline  widest  at  shoulders,  torso  taper- 
ing. "One  must  learn  the  native  qualities  of 
beauty  of  the  human  form  before  it  can  be  fully 
recognized" 8 

Characteristic  outline  preserved  in  clothing  himself. 
"The  use  of  the  intellect  has  a  powerful  effect 
upon  the  moulding  and  chiseling  of  the  features"  10 

Any  lining  material  is  suitable  for  a  gown  form. 
The  so-called  waist  line  should  be  more  or  less 
ignored  in  clothing  for  the  greater  beauty  of  the 
whole  line 14 

Summer  gowns  that  are  always  beautiful.  "Half 
an  artist's  life  is  spent  in  learning  what  to  look 
for,  how  to  distinguish  the  essential,  the  char- 
acteristic, and  how  to  eliminate  the  rest"  .  .  16 

For  the  short,  stout  woman,  waists  and  belts  must 
be  modeled  with  point  back  and  front,  and  the 
lines  of  ornament  should  flow  downward  .  .  24 

Nothing  is  so  glaring  as  the  latest  novelty.  Ear- 
rings are  a  relic  of  barbarism  and  chains  that 
serve  no  purpose  should  be  avoided  ....  30 

[VII] 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

FACING  PAGE 

To  be  conspicuously  elegant  presupposes  a  culti- 
vated body,  but  the  secret  of  economy  and  art  in 
dress  lies  in  the  selection  of  suitable  materials, 
simple  designs  and  conservative  fashions  .  .  34 

The  shoulders  are  made  to  appear  broader  than  the 
hips;  the  waist,  which  should  be  96.5  per  cent 
of  the  height,  is  out  of  proportion 42 

The  charm  of  a  woman's  form  is  in  the  long  curve 
from  armpit  to  ankle.  The  depression  at  the 
so-called  waist  line  is  the  meeting  of  two  large 
muscles 44 

The  Patricia  Garment 55 


"THE  ANATOMY  OF 

THE  HUMAN  BODY  IS  A  SUBLIME 

HYMN  IN  HONOR  OF  THE 

DEITY."— GALEN 


FOREWORD 

The  need  of  education  on  the  subject  of 
dress  is  evident  to  every  conscientious 
teacher  of  physical  culture. 

Some  years  ago  under  the  inspiration 
of  a  class  of  intelligent  women  I  under- 
took to  solve  the  problem  of  undercloth- 
ing for  women;  to  find  or  design  under- 
garments that  would  allow  freedom  while 
giving  the  necessary  support  and  avoid- 
ing the  slouchy,  bulky  aspect  so  objection- 
able to  those  who  care  for  personal  ap- 
pearance. 

Investigating  garments  already  on  the 
market  designed  with  some  regard  for 
health,  I  found  them  either  clumsy  or 
impracticable  because  too  difficult  for 
home  manufacture  or  too  expensive  when 
made  to  order;  others  advertised  as 
health  garments  proved  a  delusion  and 
snare. 

This  led  me  into  researches  and  courses 
of  study  and  reading  which  have  been 
altogether  delightful  while  they  have  re- 
vealed the  fact  that  I  was  not  the  only 
"dreamer  of  dreams"  about  what  ought 

[XI] 


FOREWORD 

to  be  in  the  way  of  clothing  for  women 
and  that  if  women  are  not  yet  ready  to 
accept  the  teaching  of  the  most  sincere 
investigators  along  the  various  lines  of 
medicine,  art  and  psychology,  I  shall  not 
be  the  first  to  retire  disappointed. 

The  universal  acceptance  of  an  under- 
garment constructed  to  modify  rather 
than  clothe  the  feminine  form  is  a  menace 
to  the  race,  especially  when  placed  upon 
the  young.  Youth  is  the  period  when  the 
greatest  care  should  be  exercised  in  order 
that  the  girl  reach  maturity  with  normal 
contour  of  the  body  and  sound  health. 

The  permanent  adoption  of  a  mode  of 
dressing  that  is  genuinely  artistic  depends 
upon  woman's  physical  education.  She 
must  know  what  it  means  to  stand  erect 
without  conscious  effort.  She  must  un- 
derstand that  erect  carriage  of  the  body 
is  essential  to  elegance  and  grace  of  move- 
ment; that  the  appearance  of  height  is 
largely  a  matter  of  suggestion  rather  than 
inches;  that  a  slouchy  appearance  may 
be  remedied  by  exercise  of  the  muscles; 
that  stiffness  conceals  the  subtle  lines  of 
[XII] 


FOREWORD 

the  middle  torso.  She  must  learn  that 
efficiency  in  the  use  of  the  voice  depends 
upon  absolute  freedom  for  the  muscles 
of  respiration  and  that  any  manner  or 
method  of  clothing  that  handicaps  the 
respiratory  power  undermines  the  entire 
system. 

There  is  a  tendency  to  overlook  the 
value  of  the  individual  solution  of  the 
problems  of  life  and  yet  the  successful  in- 
dividual solution  is  perhaps  the  most  val- 
uable and  fundamental  contribution  a 
man  or  woman  can  make. 

It  is  because  I  have  solved  the  problem 
for  myself  that  I  have  the  courage  to 
stand  as  an  exponent  of  sane  and  sensible 
clothing  of  the  body.  I  sincerely  believe 
that  educated  women  are  ready  and  eager 
to  guard  and  guide  their  daughters  into 
ways  of  life  that  will  enable  them  to  get 
the  most  out  of  it  and  to  be  of  real  service 
to  others. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  mention  every 
source  of  information,  but  leaders  in  the 
various  lines  of  endeavor  are  the  follow- 
ing. 

[XIII] 


FOREWORD 

Foremost  among  American  physicians 
acknowledgment  is  due  Dr.  J.  H.  Kel- 
l°gg>  Superintendent  of  the  Battle  Creek 
Sanitarium,  for  facts  concerning  the  nor- 
mal contour  of  the  human  figure  and  the 
disastrous  effects  of  modern  methods  of 
clothing  the  body.  Acknowledgment  is 
also  due  Dr.  Robert  L.  Dickinson  of 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

For  the  comprehensive  interpretation 
of  the  laws  of  art  and  for  the  idea  that 
"Expression  is  necessary  to  evolution" 
and  that  freedom  of  muscles  through 
proper  clothing  is  an  aid  to  perfect  ex- 
pression, I  am  indebted  to  the  late  Dr. 
Charles  Wesley  Emerson,  founder  of  the 
Emerson  College  of  Oratory,  the  full 
appreciation  of  whose  services  to  human- 
ity can  never  be  realized  save  by  those 
who  came  directly  under  his  personal 
influence. 

Arthur  Wesley  Dow, Professor  of  Fine 
Arts,  Columbia  University,  and  Birge 
Harrison,  author  of  Landscape  Painting, 
have  helped  me  to  a  finer  discrimination 
in  what  pertains  to  sincerity  in  art. 
[XIV] 


FOREWORD 

Acknowledgment  is  due  the  late  Wil- 
liam James  for  ideas  concerning  the 
psychology  of  fashion  as  given  in  his  in- 
spirational "Talks  to  Teachers" 

For  critical  analysis  on  the  status  and 
opportunities  of  the  modern  woman,  I 
am  indebted  to  Ida  Tarbell,  author  of 
"The  Business  of  Being  a  Woman"  and 
Ellen  Richards,  author  of  "The  Woman 
Who  Spends." 

For  suggestions  in  the  application  of 
the  laws  of  art  to  dress,  acknowledgment 
is  due  L.  Hi g gins,  London,  Eng.;  also  to 
Richard  Hall,  a  portrait  painter  of  re- 
nown, of  whom  Harper  Brothers  say: 
"Mr.  Hall  is  eminently  well  qualified  to 
express  himself  as  to  what  constitutes 
good  taste  in  dress,"  and  to  M.  Worth,  of 
whom  the  same  publishers  say:  "He  is 
the  greatest  living  authority  on  dress" 

Many  thanks  are  due  Harper  Brothers 
for  the  privilege  of  quoting  from  articles 
published  by  them. 

Expert  advice  along  the  lines  of  color, 
symmetry  of  design  and  simplicity  in 
dress  is  the  common  property  of  those 

[XV] 


FOREWORD 

who  can  pay  for  it.  If  the  opinions  of  the 
high  authorities  brought  together  in  this 
volume  offer  a  basis  for  criticism  and  en- 
able those  who  cannot  otherwise  avail 
themselves  of  the  best,  to  eschew  bad  fash- 
ions and  so  assist  in  creating  a  demand  for 
rational  clothing,  the  mission  of  this  book 
will  have  been  fulfilled. 

EVA  OLNEY  FARNSWORTH, 
MINNEAPOLIS,  MINNESOTA, 
DECEMBER  THE  FIRST, 

NlNETEEN-FOURTEEN 


[XVI] 


FITNESS 

Dress  yourselves  beautifully  —  not 
finely,  unless  on  occasion;  but  then 
very  finely  and  beautifully,  too. 
Also,  you  are  to  dress  as  many 
other  people  as  you  can;  and  to 
teach  them  how  to  dress,  if  they 
don't  know;  and  to  consider  every 
ill-dressed  woman  or  child  whom 
you  see  anywhere,  as  a  personal 
disgrace;  and  to  get  at  them, 
somehow,  until  everybody  is  as 
beautifully  dressed  as  birds. — JOHN 
RUSKIN.  * 


FITNESS  •••.-^.f- •'•'••• 

THE  instinct  for  clothes  has  more 
than  once  had  the  upper  hand 
of  us.     So   dangerous  to   the 
health,  prosperity  and  serious- 
ness of  the  people  has  its  tyranny  been 
that  laws    have   again   and  again   been 
passed  to  check  it;  punishments  have  been 
devised  to  frighten  men  from  indulging 
it;  while  whole  classes  have  been  put  into 
dull  and  formless  costumes  to  crucify  it. 

Man  gradually  and  in  the  main  has 
conquered  his  passion  for  ornament.  To- 
day in  all  the  leading  nations  of  the  world 
he  clothes  rather  than  arrays  himself. 
Previous  to  1815  a  certain  class  of  men 
dressed  with  all  the  extravagance  and 
frivolity  of  the  most  abandoned  fashion 
devotee  of  womankind.  But  woman  has 
not  conquered  the  instinct  for  ornament. 
She  still  allows  it  to  control  her  and  often 
to  her  own  great  detriment.  Such  undue 
proportions  has  the  matter  taken  in  the 
American  woman's  life  that  one  is  some- 
times inclined  to  wonder  if  it  is  not  the 
real  "woman  question." 

[3] 


FITNESS 

Women  should  occupy  themselves  seri- 
ously with  dress.  They  should  regard  it 
as  an  art  as  legitimate  as  any  other.  We 
are  deservedly  criticised  for  not  master- 
ing the  art,  for  the  entirely  dispropor- 
tionate amount  of  attention  which  we  give 
the  subject  and  in  our  disregard  of  sound 
principles. 

The  true  attack  on  the  tyranny  and  cor- 
ruption of  clothes  lies  in  the  establishment 
of  principles.  These  principles  are  brief- 
ly those  of  fitness,  beauty  and  ethics. 
When  a  woman  once  grasps  the  idea  of 
fitness,  the  vagaries  of  style  are  as  dis- 
tasteful as  poor  drawing  to  the  artist  or 
as  lying  is  to  the  truthful. 

Since  clothing  is  needed  first  of  all  for 
warmth  or  protection  from  the  elements, 
it  should  impede  as  little  as  possible  free 
and  graceful  movements  of  the  limbs.  It 
is  evident  that  to  meet  its  requirements  it 
should  be  as  light  as  possible.  All  gar- 
ments that  are  heavy  cause  the  wearer  in- 
convenience through  having  to  drag 
v  about  a  weight.  The  clothing  for  warmth 
should  be  distributed  evenly;  it  should 

[4] 


Effect  of  high  heels:  The  body  thrown  forward  to 
maintain  equilibrium  makes  normal  breathing  impos- 
sible, because  the  muscles  which  expand  the  apexes 
of  lungs  are  not  in  position  to  exert  their  full  power. 


FITNESS 

be  sufficiently  loose  to  allow  every  muscle 
free  play.  For  this  reason  all  garments 
that  restrict  or  bind  are  unfit,  especially 
for  the  young. 

Bonnets  and  hats  are  intended  to  pro- 
tect the  head,  either  from  the  cold  or  wet 
or  the  too  direct  rays  of  the  sun.  When 
worn  on  the  back  of  the  neck,  leaving  the 
front  of  the  head  exposed,  or  made  into 
a  windsail,  they  are  inartistic  because 
totally  unfit  for  their  purpose. 

Nature  has  constructed  the  feet  in  the 
way  that  renders  them  most  perfectly  fit- 
ted to  the  work  they  have  to  perform. 
Shoes  and  boots  are  intended  to  cover  and 
protect  them,  but  not  to  improve  nature 
by  contorting  the  foot  into  a  wholly  dif- 
ferent shape,  and  squeezing  it  into  a 
mould.  When  this  is  done  the  foot  be- 
comes deformed  and  unsuited  to  the  pur- 
pose for  which  it  was  made. 

Through  the  wearing  of  high  heels  the 
ankles  become  thickened  because  the  poise 
of  the  body  is  destroyed  and  ugliness  and 
deformity  is  the  result.  If  the  foot  is  of 
good  proportions  and  naturally  well  made 

[5] 


FITNESS 

it  cannot  be  improved  by  throwing  the 

body  off  its  balance  and  disfiguring  its 

proportions. 

Materials  chosen  must  always  be  those 
/best  fitted  for  the  needs  of  the  wearer,  the 
I  climate,  the  time  of  the  year  and,  above 
all,  they  must  be  suitable  for  the  purpose 
they  are  intended  to  fulfill.  Diaphanous 
clothing,  even  if  it  extend  no  farther  than 
the  waist,  is  improper  for  street  wear  or 
for  business,  as  are  sleeves  above  the  el- 
bow and  extremely  low  necks.  A  dress 
sufficiently  low  to  show  the  throat  and 
afford  comfort,  with  sleeves  short  enough 
to  be  easily  kept  clean  is  desirable.  In 
hot  weather  one  should  wear  as  little 
clothing  as  is  consistent  with  good  taste. 

To  dress  artistically  one  must  consider 
the  purpose  for  which  the  dress  is  re- 
/^uired.     If  for  walking,  climbing,  driv- 
ing, riding,  yachting  or  any  active  outdoor 
exercise,  it  needs  to  be  light,  sufficiently 
warm    and   strong.      In  construction,  it 
must  be  as  simple  as  possible  and  leave  the 
limbs  unimpeded  in  action  and  have  no 
useless  extraneous  ornament. 
[6] 


"Grace  of  motion  is  a  hner  quality  than  faultless 
proportions.  A  marble  statue  may  be  exquisite  in 
form  but  cannot  be  compared  to  an  elastic,  spirited 
woman,  whose  every  gesture  indicates  soul." 


FITNESS 

The  hat  should  cover  the  head,  and  if 
for  rough  wear  or  travel,  should  be  one 
which  obviously  will  not  become  drag- 
gled and  spoiled  by  wet.  Ostrich  feathers 
or  plush  are  wholly  unfit  for  this  kind  of 
use. 

It  is  conceded,  I  think,  that  there  is  in 
all  women  an  instinctive  perception  of 
beauty  and  a  longing  for  it,  and  that  this 
instinct  may  be  gratified  and  improve^ 
without  any  exercise  of  the  reasoning 
power.  The  unconscious  education  of  thjb 
artistic  perception  by  familiarity  witn 
things  that  are  in  good  taste  has  developed 
in  the  highest  type  of  the  American 
woman  a  power  of  discrimination  that  is 
by  no  means  general.  The  improved 
taste,  such  as  it  is,  however,  is  more  a 
fashion  than  a  considered  conclusion,  and 
women  of  culture  and  knowledge  of  art 
principles  are  often  called  upon  to  fight 
the  good  fight  of  taste  against  trade. 

There  are  people  strongly  imbued  with 
the  idea  that  good  taste  is  a  special  reve- 
lation from  heaven,  but  the  mere  feeling 
of  individuals,  likely  to  be  confused  by  a 


FITNESS 

too  great  familiarity  with  the  prevailing 
fashions,  which  for  a  time  usurp  the  place 
of  true  taste,  is  not  to  be  depended  upon 
unless  it  can  show  a  reason  for  the  faith 
which  it  has  engendered. 

There  is  an  increasingly  large  class  of 
women  who  wish  to  dress  in  a  reasonable, 
common-sense  style  not  dependent  on  the 
vagaries  of  fashion-makers,  who  are  usu- 
ally in  search  of  novelty.  They  are  even 
willing  to  be  a  little  different  if  the  dif- 
ference is  not  too  conspicuous,  but  too 
often  they  succeed  only  in  being  grotesque. 
Constructive  art  requires  first  of  all 
fitness  to  purpose;  second,  due  proportion 
and  relation  of  the  parts  to  the  whole; 
third,  grace  or  proper  combination  of  the 
straight  and  curved  line.  A  careful  study 
of  the  historical  costumes  of  all  times  and 
countries  will  quickly  show  us  that  those 
which  all  agree  at  this  distance  of  time 
in  calling  beautiful  are  those  which  con- 
form to  the  rules  of  art.  If  a  hundred 
people  of  educated  taste  were  to  choose 
from  a  collection  of  ancient  costumes 
those  which  appealed  to  them  as  most 
[8] 


Masculine  outline  widest  at  shoulders,  torso  tapering. 
"One  must  learn  the  native  qualities  of  beauty  of  the 
human  form  before  it  can  be  fully  recognized." 


FITNESS 

beautiful,  their  lists  would  to  a  great  ex- 
tent duplicate  each  other,  because  each 
would  follow  the  certain  and  essential 
laws  of  construction.  Good  construction 
presupposes  fitness,  proportion  and  grace. 

Dress,  like  architecture,  is  based  upon 
practical  requirements  and  can  only  be 
true  and  logical  and  therefore  artistic 
when  it  meets  these  requirements.  The 
external  arrangements  and  design  should 
arise  out  of  the  figure  and  indicate  its 
requirements.  Nothing  can  be  artistic 
that  impedes  the  free  and  graceful  action 
of  the  limbs. 

The  perfect  masculine  outline  shows 
narrow  hips  and  broad  shoulders.  This 
is  as  apparent  in  childhood  as  in  maturity. 
Fashion-makers  of  men's  garments  would 
not  risk  business  success  by  offering  men 
clothing  that  would  handicap  them  in  any 
vocation,  and  this  characteristic  outline  is 
preserved.  Only  at  home  does  the  gentle- 
man indulge  in  color,  velvet,  silk  or  cash- 
mere. When  he  appears  in  public  he  may 
aim  at  distinction  only  by  the  superior  cut 
of  his  garments.  What  the  male  attire 

[9] 


FITNESS 

thus  loses  in  striking  effect  it  gains  in  tone. 
Man's  sagacity  in  matters  of  dress  has  en- 
abled him  to  render  inestimable  service  to 
humanity. 


[10] 


Characteristic  outline  preserved  in  clothing  himself. 
"The  use  of  the  intellect  has  a  powerful  effect  upon 
the  moulding  and  chiseling  of  the  features." 


BEAUTY 

The  beauty  which  is  to  endure  must 
be  sane  and  wholesome  because  the 
human  race  is  sound  at  heart  and 
can  be  counted  upon  in  the  long 
run  to  reject  anything  which  is 
essentially  unhealthy  or  decadent. — 
BIRGE  HARRISON. 

Beauty  is  the  divine  ideal.  All 
schools  of  artists  are  but  spelling  it 
out  and  every  great  artist  is  a  flash 
of  God  on  this  dull  world  of  ours. 
— LYMAN  ABBOT. 


BEAUTY 

BEAUTY  of  form  is  produced  by 
lines  growing  out  one  from  an- 
other in  gradual  undulations. 
There  must  be  no  excrescence; 
nothing  could  be  removed  and  leave  the 
form  equally  good  or  better.  All  junc- 
tions of  curved  lines  with  curved  or  of 
curved  lines  with  straight  ones  should  be 
tangential  to  each  other  and  the  straight, 
the  inclined  and  the  curved  should  be 
properly  balanced.  We  might  say,  that 
that  dress  must  always  be  best  and  most 
beautiful  which  follows  the  lines  of  the 
human  figure,  for  this  is,  when  perfectly 
proportioned,  the  most  beautiful  com- 
bination of  lines  and  curves  known. 

A  woman's  form  when  perfect  cannot 
be  improved  by  art;  therefore  the  dress 
which  allows  its  natural  proportions  to 
appear  and  which  does  not  impede  the 
natural  freedom  and  grace  of  movement 
is  the  most  artistic  and  becoming.  Tak- 
ing the  human  figure  as  the  ground-work 
of  dress,  it  is  therefore  of  the  first  im- 
portance to  preserve  its  proportions  if 
they  be  correct. 

[13] 


BEAUTY 

What  is  really  artistic  always  retains 
its  hold  on  the  public  and  good  forms  of 
dress,  because  they  are  becoming,  are 
favorites  and  constantly  return.  No  dress 
remained  in  fashion  longer  or  returns 
oftener  than  the  princess  robe,  which  ex- 
actly follows  artistic  rules. 

A  dress  which  fits  more  or  less  closely 
to  the  figure  and  reaches  the  feet  in  front 
with  plain  sleeves  indicating  the  shape  of 
the  arm,  should  be  the  basis  and  founda- 
tion of  all  dress.  This  might  be  called 
the  gown  form.  In  most  dresses  it  can 
take  the  place  of  the  petticoat  and  hence 
do  away  with  the  skirt  band. 

In  speaking  of  a  closely  fitting,  plain 
dress  as  being  the  basis  of  all  costumes,  it 
is  not  to  be  interpreted  as  meaning  that 
every  one  should  dress  herself  in  this  gar- 
ment and  no  other.  As  much  variety  may 
be  obtained  working  from  this  basis  as  any 
change  of  fashion  requires.  As  long  as 
the  principle  of  proportion  is  not  lost  sight 
of,  each  fresh  costume  may  be  equally 
charming.  Any  idea  carried  out  with 
careful  attention  to  true  proportion  and 


tor  111 


Any    lining    material  is    suitable    for  a    gown    form. 

The    so-called    waist  line    should    be  more    or    less 

ignored    in    clothing  for    the    greater  beauty    of    the 
whole  line. 


BEAUTY 

fitness  will  indicate  the  figure  and  clothe 
it  gracefully. 

If  the  clothing  has  widened  the  form, 
we  can  restore  the  proportions  through 
the  manner  of  dressing  the  hair,  by  the 
hat,  or  for  special  occasion,  by  a  train. 

What  are  known  as  polonaises,  a  sim- 
ple overdress  with  body  and  skirt  in  one, 
never  quite  go  out  of  fashion.  The  coat 
known  as  Newmarket  and  long  coats  and 
jackets  under  a  variety  of  names  are  re- 
tained for  the  same  reason.  In  the  same 
manner,  the  dress  opening  in  front  over 
a  petticoat  of  some  rich  material  or  em- 
broidery, and  either  draped  behind  or 
falling  in  a  sweeping  train,  is  never  out  of 
fashion  long.  A  short  skirt  with  a  dress 
draped  over  it,  often  returns  to  fashion  and 
we  are  all  familiar  with  it  in  the  pictures 
of  the  best  artists  of  all  periods,  some- 
times with  a  handkerchief  or  lace  simply 
crossed  over  the  breast  or  with  bodice 
laced  across  the  front. 

Ornament  may  be  of  two  kinds ;  one  a 
part  of  the  dress  used  as  trimming,  which 
forms  a  finish  to  individual  parts;  the 

[15] 


BEAUTY 

other,  something  added  to  the  garment  for 
the  sake  of  introducing  harmony  of  color. 
In  either  case  it  should  show  that  it  is  a 
part  of  the  whole  and  that  it  fulfills  some 
actual  need.  For  example,  a  bow  of  rib- 
bon is  often  used  for  the  purpose  of  intro- 
ducing color.  It  should  always  be  used 
to  finish  or  tie  some  portion  of  the  dress. 
It  should  not  be  a  made-up  bow  stuck  on. 
Richard  Hall  says  that  no  one  but  an 
artist  can  know  how  powerfully  one  small 
color  accent  can  tell,  especially  in  matter 
of  contrast.  A  woman  of  unerring  in- 
stinct for  contrast  and  harmony  in  tones 
and  hues  can  devise  the  most  original  and 
fascinating,  toilettes  for  herself. 

Ornament  may  be  applied  to  empha- 
size the  construction  or  to  finish  individ- 
ual parts.  To  illustrate :  a  certain  amount 
of  ornament  or  addition  to  the  sleeve  is 
permissible  so  long  as  it  is  in  strict  accord- 
ance with  the  natural  shape  of  the  arm 
and  does  not  disturb  the  proportions.  It 
must  never  show  a  want  of  meaning.  It 
should  always  be  "construction  deco- 
rated," never  "decoration  constructed." 
[16] 


Summer  gowns  that  are  always  beautiful.  "Half  an 
artist's  life  is  spent  in  learning  what  to  look  for, 
how  to  distinguish  the  essential,  the  characteristic, 
and  how  to  eliminate  the  rest." 


BEAUTY 

As  we  should  avoid  excrescent  orna- 
ment, so  we  should  have  nothing,  flying  or 
hanging  loosely  about.  If  ribbons  are  re- 
quired to  tie  something  together,  the  ends 
should  be  long  enough  to  do  so  effectively, 
but  not  to  leave  streamers  to  fly  about  in 
the  wind.  Castellated  and  all  kinds  of 
loose,  flapping  trimmings  are  unsuitable 
for  they  fulfill  no  reasonable  purpose  and 
distract  and  annoy  the  eye. 

Fringes,  originally  the  raveling  out 
and  tying  of  the  ends  of  material,  can  only 
hang  truly  in  one  position  and  are  out  of 
character  on  sleeves  or  other  parts  of  the 
dress  where  they  get  turned  upside  down. 

A  pleated  edge  is  useful  when  needed 
to  give  more  solidity.  An  embroidered 
border  or  flat  trimming  laid  on  is  suit- 
able for  drapery  when  it  needs  a  finish. 
Embroidered  trimming  on  a  dress  should 
be  purely  conventional  in  type  and  present 
no  natural  objects  in  relief. 
*  Joshua  Reynolds  says  of  a  picture: 
"Disproportionate  ordinance  of  parts  is 
not  right,  because  it  cannot  be  true  until 
it  ceases  to  be  a  contradiction,  to  assert 

[17] 


BEAUTY 

that  the  parts  have  no   relation   to   the 

whole." 

This  is  just  as  true  of  clothing  as  of 
a  picture.  In  draping  a  dress  or  arrang- 
ing the  fit  of  the  skirt,  all  abrupt  angles 
and  meaningless  excrescences  should  be 
avoided.  Material  bunched  without  re- 
gard to  normal  contour  of  the  body  or  so 
as  to  destroy  the  relationship  of  the  parts 
is  inartistic  because  it  gives  a  false  im- 
pression. The  so-called  Grecian  bend  is 
an  example. 

/       L.  Higgins  says :  "The  more  one  stud- 
/     ies  the  subject  from  books,  and  still  more 
/       from  the  actual  works  of  ancient  Greece, 
/        one  becomes  convinced  that  writers  like 
I         Hay  are  right  in  supposing  that  Greek 
art  was  the  result  of  an  intimate  knowl- 
edge of  the  exact  science  of  harmony,  ap- 
plied to  all  the  different  expressions  of 


art." 


It  is  said  that  the  exquisite  folds  of 
the  Greek  himation  (a  garment  consist- 
ing of  a  rectangular  cloth  draped  over  the 
left  shoulder  and  about  the  body) ,  depend 
for  their  beauty  on  a  certain  well-known 
[18] 


BEAUTY 

proportion  of  the  garment  itself.  Less 
or  more  or  different  proportions  alter  it 
and  spoil  its  beauty.  We  may  be  quite 
certain  that  artistic  drapery  of  all  kinds 
depends  equally  on  the  true  proportions 
of  the  garment  to  be  draped. 

An  imperfect  figure  maybe  improved, 
however,  by  the  manner  in  which  orna- 
ment or  drapery  is  applied  to  the  dress. 
Drapery  added  to  the  dress  should  carry 
the  idea  of  being  a  necessary  portion  of  it, 
a  part  of  the  dress  draped  in  fact,  not  a 
curtain  or  apron  hung  on  and  caught  up 
here  and  there  without  meaning.  It 
should  also  give  the  sense  of  security  in 
its  position  and  not  appear  to  depend  on 
stitches.  It  is  claimed  by  those  high  in 
the  art  of  dressmaking  that  the  effect  of 
a  dress  properly  draped  is  practically  the 
same  to  the  eye  as  a  long,  gown.  That  is 
to  say,  there  is  all  the  difference  in  the 
world  between  a  plain  short  skirt  stop- 
ping at  the  ankle  or  a  little  below  it,  and 
a  dress  which  gives  the  idea  that  it  is 
looped  up  for  convenience  and  can  be  let 
down.  This  is  practically  the  theory  of 

[19] 


BEAUTY 

draped  skirts,  and  for  this  reason  they 
are  more  pleasing  than  short  plain 
dresses. 

Artistic  drapery  of  all  kinds  depends 
upon  the  true  proportions  of  the  garment 
to  be  draped.  Art  requires  absolute 
truth.  No  sham  or  false  appearance  is 
permitted.  Imitation  drapery  is  always 
a  sham  and  is  never  artistic.  A  true  and 
self-reliant  individuality  in  dress,  based 
upon  true  rules  of  art,  will  produce  a  cos- 
tume at  once  suitable  and  becoming  to 
the  wearer. 

Among  lovers  of  what  is  called  artistic 
dress,  there  is  a  great  admiration  for 
drapery  hanging  from  the  shoulder.  If 
it  is  beautiful  it  is  because  the  lines  of  the 
drapery  are  in  true  proportion  to  the 
figure  it  clothes.  There  is  no  reason  why 
beautiful  lines  should  spring  from  the 
shoulder  exclusively,  although  when  they 
do  so  there  is  great  charm  about  them. 
Neither  is  there  anything  intrinsically 
beautiful  in  stuffed  paddings  and  slashes. 
They  may  be  made  picturesque  where 
there  are  defects  to  hide  and  in  some  cases 

[20] 


BEAUTY 

they  undoubtedly  have  a  pleasing  effect. 

To  avoid  disagreeable  flapping  in  of 
the  petticoats  against  the  heels,  some 
extra  fullness  of  the  skirt  is  required  be- 
hind. This  may  be  accomplished  with- 
out breaking  the  line  of  beauty  in  the 
drapery. 

That  material  is  best  which  receives 
and  reflects  the  light  softly  from  its  sur- 
face, producing  many  gradations  of  tone; 
also  soft  materials  which  hang  in  grace- 
ful folds.  No  material  is  pleasing  which 
stands  stiffly  out  and  forms  inharmonious 
angles.  The  mixture  of  two  materials 
will  be  found  pleasing  as  giving  variety 
and  avoiding  weight.  Waists  like  the 
skirt  and  jacket  in  color,  but  of  soft  and 
fine  material,  are  examples. 

Artistic  effect,  however,  cannot  be 
gained  by  piling  alien  materials,  although 
beautiful  in  themselves  in  one  meaning- 
less jangle.  M.  Worth  regards  it  as 
sacrilege  to  mate  lace  and  fur  or  two 
kinds  of  lace  on  one  garment,  or  silk  em- 
broidery and  glittering  jet.  Here  a  dab 
of  cloth,  there  one  of  velvet  interspersed 


BEAUTY 

with  braid,  fringe,  tassels  and  fur,  build 
up  a  motif  as  tawdry  as  it  is  pretentious, 
as  vulgar  as  it  is  hideous. 

There  is  no  difficulty  about  dressing 
a  woman  who  has  a  beautiful  figure.  As 
a  rule  a  woman  so  endowed  knows  it  and 
is  not  fond  of  concealing  her  beauty  by 
excrescent  decoration,  but  rather  falls  a 
victim  to  questionable  styles  designed  to 
reveal  parts  of  the  body.  Young  girls  in 
the  innocence  of  ignorance  are  very  likely 
to  do  this. 

Artistic  dressing  concerns  much  more 
those  whose  figures  are  imperfect  and 
who  wish  to  dress  becomingly.  They 
must  try  to  restore  the  proportions  which 
nature  points  out  as  beautiful  and  be  wise 
enough  to  follow  their  own  style  or  clever 
enough  to  defeat  or  modify  a  style  that  is 
thrust  upon  them. 

A  straight  line  across  the  base  of  the 
neck  is  very  trying.  It  may  be  broken  by 
a  high,  white  collar,  rolled  over  into  an- 
other shape  and  so  defeat  the  hardness  of 
the  straight  line.  Starched  standing  col- 
lars of  linen,  organdy  or  lace  which  do  not 

[22] 


BEAUTY 

extend  to  the  front  of  the  dress,  but  end 
just  in  front  of  the  ears,  is  not  practical 
or  becoming  to  all  faces.  In  the  choice 
of  a  collar  a  woman  should  not  hesitate 
to  give  time  and  attention.  It  is  only  a 
detail  but  it  makes  or  mars  the  harmony 
between  the  face  and  the  frock. 

When  a  figure  is  too  stout,  the  dress 
should  be  as  long  as  possible,  and  when 
worn  short  for  walking  should  be  draped 
at  the  back  but  kept  as  flat  as  possible  over 
the  hips.  The  lines  of  ornament  must 
flow  downward,  never  by  any  means 
across  the  figure.  The  more  the  waist  is 
compressed  and  the  tighter  the  dress  ap- 
pears to  fit,  the  more  the  stoutness  will  be 
revealed. 

No  dress  is  artistic  which  cuts  the  fig- 
ure in  two  either  by  coloring  or  by  trim- 
ming. A  conspicuous  trimming  around 
the  hips  would  detract  from  the  most 
beautiful  figure  and  is  disastrous  to  a 
stout  or  imperfect  one.  The  same  may 
be  said  of  bands  or  flounces  going  around 
the  skirt  or  across  the  front  and  of  waists 
of  a  different  color  from  the  skirt. 

[23] 


BEAUTY 

Materials  with  design  in  spiral 
bunches  may  be  made  a  very  successful 
refiner  of  the  bulky  figure.  Stripes,  too, 
may  be  depended  upon  under  the  direc- 
tion of  a  clever  cutter  and  fitter  to  induce 
symmetry.  Chiffon,  crepe  de  chine,  mar- 
quissette,  and  all  gauzes  require  very  nice 
adjustment  if  the  bulky  are  to  wear  them. 

Short,  stout  women  should  choose  lines 
that  give  length  from  the  shoulder  down- 
ward. Anything  that  draws  attention  to 
the  overplus  of  flesh  which  it  is  desirable 
to  mitigate  should  be  avoided. 

As  to  colors,  black  will  be  safe,  biscuit 
deepening  to  tan  may  be  used.  This  is  a 
dye  that  does  not  intensify  size  and  is 
therefore  more  useful  as  a  glove  and  shoe 
color  than  gray.  Green,  too,  of  a  color 
known  as  water-cress,  may  be  suitable, 
and  mauves  and  pearl  shades  are  good. 

A  woman  with  gray  hair  and  whitened 
countenance  may  look  beautiful  in  gray, 
touched  with  a  little  very  good  lace,  even 
if  her  figure  be  not  that  of  a  sylph. 

Roughly  speaking,  white  is  for  all 
ages  and  is  suitable  for  every  one.  Mauve, 

[24] 


For  the  short,  stout  woman,  waists  and  belts  must  be 
modeled  with  point  back  and  front  and  the  lines  of 
ornament  should  flow  downward. 


BEAUTY 

(a  delicate  purple),  violet  or  lilac  is  for 
the  very  fair;  blue  for  the  brunette  and 
red  for  the  blond.  Old  women  should 
never  wear  pink;  it  makes  them  look 
older.  The  woman  with.red  hair  must  be 
very  careful  in  selecting  colors.  This 
type  will  find  by  experimenting  that 
some  shades  of  blue  are  what  they  need 
and  they  may  judiciously  employ  good 
browns  or  tan  color. 

It  is  when  different  colors  are  com- 
bined in  a  costume  that  correct  taste 
counts  for  most,  for  the  result  of  such 
combination  may  be  highly  effective  or 
disastrously  jarring. 

Within  the  limits  of  art  there  is  abund- 
ant scope  for  exercise  of  individual  taste, 
and  the  more  individual  it  is  the  better.  Let 
all  idiosyncrasies  have  their  fullest  license 
so  long  as  they  keep  within  the  limits  of 
art,  but  do  not  imagine  that  affected  odd- 
ness  is  artistic  when  it  has  no  beauty  of 
form  or  color  to  recommend  it.  Har- 
monious or  artistic  dress  cannot  be  real- 
ized without  careful  study  of  the  figure, 
complexion  and  hair  of  each  individual. 

[25] 


BEAUTY 

Art  is  art  and  its  laws  are  equally  ap- 
plicable to  the  painting  of  a  picture,  mod- 
elling of  a  statue,  the  construction  or  dec- 
oration of  a  building,  or  the  clothing  of 
the  body.  Let  us  lay  aside  all  distinctions 
and  look  upon  art  as  the  tangible  expres- 
sion of  the  science  of  beauty  wherever  we 
find  it.  Birge  Harrison  says  about  the 
framing  of  pictures:  "Nothing  in  the 
whole  range  of  nature  is  so  admirably 
fitted  for  the  surface  of  a  frame  as  gold 
or  metal  leaf.  Next  to  the  mirror  it  pre- 
sents the  most  elusive  of  all  surfaces. 
Semi-reflecting,  semi-solid,  it  is  just  the 
thing  that  fills  the  requirements. 

"Fortunately  there  is  a  large  range  of 
colors  at  our  disposal;  beginning  with 
pure  silver  and  going  through  various 
tints  of  green,  yellow  and  orange  gold 
to  the  deep  red  of  copper,  again  as  ex- 
tended as  the  most  demanding  painter 
could  ask.  Here  it  soon  becomes  supreme. 
A  picture  whose  dominant  note  was  pink 
demanded  a  greenish  gold  frame,  a  blue 
picture  called  for  a  tone  of  pure  yellow 
or  orange  gold,  while  a  picture  whose 

[26] 


BEAUTY 

dominant  tone  was  golden  yellow  could 
only  be  well  clothed  in  silver.  Fortun- 
ately the  dominant  tone  of  most  land- 
scapes is  found  in  the  blue  or  blue  gray 
sky,  and  thus  the  pure  gold  frame  is  its 
ideal  casing.  But  there  are  pictures,  of  ten 
enchanting  effects,  which  are  killed  by  the 
juxtaposition  of  yellow  gold,  and  these 
pictures  are  barred  out  of  our  exhibitions 
by  the  barbaric  rule  which  limits  all 
frames  to  those  of  gold  leaf." 

One  picture  referred  to  was  his  own, 
which  represented  the  interior  of  a  birch 
wood  in  autumn.  It  was  a  solid  mass  of 
shimmering  yellow  foliage,  relieved  only 
by  the  silvery  notes  of  the  slender  and 
graceful  trees.  He  says:  "I  tried  it  with- 
out success  in  every  possible  tone  of  gold 
leaf,  but  finally  had  to  come  to  silver." 

When  it  comes  to  form  and  design  the 
law  of  contrasts  holds  good  also. 

"A  very  complicated  picture  which 
depends  for  its  effects  largely  upon  some 
graceful  and  intricate  design  will  show 
to  best  advantage  in  a  comparatively  flat 
and  simple  frame.  A  simple  picture,  on 

[27] 


BEAUTY 

the  contrary,  which  is  built  up  with  a  few 
broad  and  powerful  masses,  will  frequent- 
ly appear  best  in  a  rich  and  ornamental 
frame.  The  very  richness  of  design  ac- 
centuating the  simple  beauty  of  the  can- 
vas. If,  however,  the  value  scale  of  3. 
picture  is  extremely  delicate,  this  must 
also  be  taken  into  account,  and  the  frame, 
though  ornamental  in  design,  should  be 
in  low  relief  in  order  to  harmonize  with 
the  picture  which  it  is  to  frame. 

"The  question  of  mat  surface  and  bur- 
nished surface,  or  the  proportion  of  each 
to  be  allowed  in  a  given  frame,  must  de- 
pend upon  the  individual  taste  of  the 
painter.  The  worst  frame  of  all,  the  only 
inexcusable  one,  is  the  blatant,  vulgar, 
over-ornate,  over-wide,  over-burnished 
affair  which  cries  out,  'Look  at  me ;  I  cost 
$500.00,  so  this  picture  must  be  worth 
$5,000.00.' " 

All  of  this  might  be  said  of  dress,  and 
suggests  how  difficult  it  is  to  lay  down 
rigid  rules  in  regard  to  color  and  style. 

Let  the  picture  stand  for  the  indi- 
vidual as  to  size,  color,  proportions,  deli- 


BEAUTY 

cacy  or  strength,  the  frame  the  clothing. 
"Just  according  to  the  beauty  or  indi- 
viduality of  his  temperament  will  be  the 
beauty  or  the  individuality  of  the  artistic 
result,"  says  Millet.  "Technique  should 
hide  itself  modestly  behind  the  thing  to 
be  expressed."  Therefore,  the  personal- 
ity and  color  scheme,  when  healthy,  is  to 
be  made  to  stand  out  distinctly.  Such  a 
decoration  of  the  body  as  calls  attention 
to  the  clothes  cannot  be  artistic  any  more 
than  the  over-ornate  frame  or  the  frame 
unsuited  to  the  color  scheme  of  the  pic- 
ture. 

A  sallow  complexion  can  be  made  to 
look  white  in  contrast  with  orange  gold 
or  orange,  and  if  the  eyes  and  hair  are 
dark  they  will  be  strikingly  prominent. 
This  is  also  true  of  certain  shades  of  red 
and  blue.  The  exact  hue  can  be  deter- 
mined only  by  experiment.  However,  a 
person  of  sallow  skin  cannot  use  blue  in- 
discriminately, whether  she  be  blond  or 
brunette.  The  blond,  like  the  sallow- 
skinned  brunette,  must  select  that  shade  of 
red  or  blue  that  will  mitigate  the  defect- 

[29] 


BEAUTY 

ive  complexion  and  deepen  the  color  of 
eyes  and  hair. 

About  complexions,  Louis  F.  Day 
says:  "Broadly  speaking,  red  and  yellow 
predominate  over  blue.  The  tone  of  a 
good  complexion  is  a  very  delicate  pink- 
ish orange  of  the  palest  possible  hue  ap- 
proaching white.  Complexions  may  be 
comparatively — 

ist — Pure  white  and  red. 

2nd — Fair  or  tinged  with  pink. 

3rd — Dark  or  clear  olive,  with  or 
without  red." 

As  suggested  before,  you  must  study 
yourself  critically;  your  size,  shape,  color 
and  age.  Think  of  your  clothes  as  the 
frame  and  subordinate  them  to  your  in- 
dividuality and  physical  peculiarities. 

Ruskin  says :  "The  least  appearance  of 
extravagance  or  want  of  moderation  or 
restraint,  is  destructive  of  all  beauty  what- 
soever, in  anything,  color,  form,  motion, 
language  or  thought;  giving  rise  to  that 
which  is  in  color  called  glaring,  in  form  in- 
elegant, in  motion  ungraceful,  in  thought 
undisciplined,  in  all,  unchastened." 


Nothing  is  so  glaring  as  the  latest  novelty.  Ear- 
rings are  a  relic  of  barbarism  and  chains  that  serve 
no  purpose  should  be  avoided. 


BEAUTY 

"The  Frenchwoman  is  consistent," 
says  M.  Worth.  "She  never  spends  her 
little  on  a  frock,  or  hat,  vaguely  leaving 
her  gloves,  neckwear  and  shoes  to  take 
care  of  themselves.  She  builds  herself 
up  from  the  beginning  by  means  of  well- 
fitting,  daintily  made  lingerie. 

"Let  us  suppose  there  is  very  little 
money  in  the  purse.  The  girl  cannot  af- 
ford to  pay  high  prices  for  clothes  nor 
seek  expert  advice  upon  the  subject  of 
color,  styles  and  trimming.  In  order  to 
dress  well  she  must  foster  the  critical 
habit.  She  must  not  forget  her  defects 
and  congratulate  herself  that  the  good 
points  will  mask  the  effect  of  the  bad  ones. 
To  illustrate:  The  girl  whose  hair  is  the 
color  of  ripe  corn  and  whose  complexion 
rivals  the  lily  and  rose,  may  have  a  waist 
circumference  that  is  altogether  clumsy 
and  awkward.  Is  such  a  one  to  chose 
colors  that  throw  up  the  radiance  of  her 
hair  and  establish  the  already  evident  ex- 
cellence of  her  fair  skin?  By  no  means. 
She  must  be  governed  in  choice  of  ma- 
terials by  that  thick  waist.  She  must  per- 

[31] 


BEAUTY 

sistently  endeavor  to  induce  all  the  sym- 
metry of  figure  she  can  achieve  through 
every  means  open  to  her  in  the  gymnas- 
ium. Moreover,  she  must  wear  black  in 
preference  to  color.  Her  waists  and  belts 
must  be  modeled  with  point  back  and 
front  to  give  length." 

M.  Worth  also  tells  us  that  the  best 
dressed  woman  in  Paris  never  buys  over 
three  dresses  a  year.  They  are,  however, 
perfect  in  fit,  in  material,  in  taste.  Yet 
remember  this — she  is  not  the  type  at 
whom  everyone  in  the  street  will  stare. 
There  is  real  distinction  in  her  appear- 
ance, and  the  secret  of  it  is  simplicity 
rather  than  the  crude  straining,  after 
effect. 

Even  an  employee  who  is  earning  the 
most  modest  income  may  have  in  her 
wardrobe  all  that  her  business  or  social 
duties  call  for,  and  its  items  will  be  at 
once  individual  and  fitting  the  occasion. 
One, year  she  may  add  to  her  store  a  sim- 
ple evening  gown  and  a  tailor-made 
dress;  the  next  she  will  find  occasion  to 
buy  one  afternoon  gown  and  perhaps  a 

[32] 


BEAUTY 

big  cloak  suitable  for  steamer  or  railroad 
traveling,  and  the  third  she  may  make  ad- 
ditions to  her  lingerie. 

"The  women  of  true  refinement,"  says 
M.  Worth,  "such  as  I  dress,  will  not  wear 
a  cloak  or  toilette  that  draws  attention  to 
her;  but  such  as  will  mark  herself  that 
all  who  runs  may  read  a  charming  woman 
by  her  quiet  attire  and  exquisite  sim- 
plicity of  design.  It  is  true  the  materials 
are  fine  and  the  gown  fits  perfectly,  but 
all  the  effect  is  entirely  unostentatious. 
These  women  would  not  consent  to  attend 
any  social  function  half  clothed,  with 
sleeves  cut  low  beneath  the  arm  and  cor- 
sage only  an  apology  for  what  it  should 
be." 

The  writer  has  a  dress  she  bought  five 
years  ago.  It  is  princess  in  style,  con- 
servative in  outline  and  contains  twice  the 
material  the  extreme  fashion  calls  for.*  It 
was  not  designed  for  common  street  wear, 
yet  with  a  simple  wrap  can  be  worn  there 
without  attracting  notice.  Every  year 
there  has  been  occasion  to  wear  it  at  re- 

*  This  refers  to  fashions  of  1914. 

[33] 


BEAUTY 

ception,  dinner  or  for  platform  work. 
She  has  always  felt  well  dressed  among 
those  who  dress  the  best.  Not  the  slight- 
est change  or  repair  has  been  made  in  that 
time.  And  because  it  is  not  freakish  in 
outline  and  fulfills  every  law  of  art,  it  will 
always  be  in  style.  As  it  begins  to  show 
signs  of  wear  it  may  be  altered  slightly, 
possibly  new  sleeves  or  some  such  change 
to  bring  it  up  to  date.  So  when  I  read 
from  artists  high  in  authority  like  M. 
Worth  that,  in  excellence  of  material,  sim- 
plicity of  design  and  conservatism  in 
fashions  lies  the  secret  of  his  art,  I  am 
assured  that  one  may  safely  follow  him. 
These  three  phrases,  when  thoroughly  un- 
derstood, will  mean  the  solution  of  the 
dress  problem  in  the  narrow  sense  of 
outer  clothing, — excellence  of  material, 
simplicity  of  design,  conservative  fash- 
ions. It  means  careful  buying,  propriety 
of  outline  in  the  selection  of  styles,  be- 
cause you  are  going  to  get  your  money's 
worth.  But  it  means  still  more.  It  means 
that  some  fashion-maker  and  manufac- 
turer will  arise,  big  enough,  and  confident 

[34] 


To  be  conspicuously  elegant  presupposes  a  cultivated 
body.  But  the  secret  of  economy  and  art  in  dress 
lies  in  the  selection  of  suitable  materials,  simple  de- 
signs and  conservative  fashions. 


BEAUTY 

enough  in  the  perfection  of  his  manu- 
factured articles  to  do  for  women  what  is 
already  done  for  men. 

When  proper  emphasis  is  placed  upon 
the  physical  education  of  the  adolescent 
girl  and  a  system  of  under-dressing  is  de- 
veloped that  clothes  but  does  not  attempt 
to  reshape  the  body,  then  the  buoyancy  of 
youth  may  survive  the  perils  of  mother- 
hood and  extend  definitely  to  the  period 
of  life  when  intelligence,  coupled  with 
experience,  counts  for  so  much. 

We  are  not  to  ignore  fashion  and  go 
about  to  construct  strange  garments  of  our 
own  invention.  I  believe  more  is  lost  than 
gained  by  eccentricity  in  these  matters, 
but  as  there  is  generally  some  reasonable 
idea  at  the  foundation  of  a  prevailing 
style,  it  seems  better  to  seek  for  and  carry 
that  out  instead  of  exaggerating  and  help- 
ing to  spread  abroad  its  worst  features. 

M.  Worth  tells  of  the  astonishment  of 
the  gayly  plumaged  on  meeting  for  the 
first  time  women  of  exalted  rank.  Where 
they  expected  to  see  the  latest  fashions  in 
overwhelming  profusion,  they  saw  not 

[35] 


BEAUTY 

one.  Because  he  says  those  who  design 
gowns  for  women  of  such  rank  adhere  to 
restraint  rather  than  exaggeration.  He 
advises  American  girls  to  adjure  the  lat- 
est thing.  "It  is  not  worth  your  notice. 
Robe  yourself  prettily,  tastefully,  in  keep- 
ing with  your  position  and  the  occasion 
and  wear  good  clothes.  That  is  enough." 

Forty  years  ago  his  father  brought  in 
vogue  the  princess  dress  and  he  makes  it 
to-day  and  advises  under  all  circumstances 
simplicity,  and  individuality  in  dress. 
Given  good  taste  and  a  little  tact  he  as- 
sures us  that  every  woman  may  be  well 
dressed,  even  if  she  be  poor. 

Be  always  sure  that  danger  lies  for 
every  one,  whether  blond  or  brunette, 
tall  or  short,  thin  or  the  reverse,  in  such 
vagaries  of  the  mode  as  the  balloon  sleeve, 
the  eel-tight  and  slit  skirt,  for  in  all  ex- 
aggeration there  is  danger;  while  modest 
restraint  and  swift  intuition  as  to  indi- 
vidual suitability  mean  a  victory  in  subtle 
charm  which  the  vulgar  can  never  attain. 

The  development  of  a  right  system  of 
clothing  the  body  is  an  educational  prob- 

[36] 


BEAUTY 

lem,  and  the  fundamental  step  is  the  de- 
signing of  under-garments  for  the  adoles- 
cent girl  that  her  physical  education  may 
be  effective. 

When  muscles  have  lost  their  power 
to  hold  the  body  strongly  erect  without 
conscious  effort,  artificial  devices  for  sup- 
porting prolapsed  internal  organs  are  a 
blessing  when  designed  on  strictly  scien- 
tific principles.  But  artificial  devices  for 
remolding  the  body  are  a  menace  to  the 
race  in  undermining  the  health.  Nor 
should  artificial  devices  constructed  for 
pathological  conditions  be  accepted  as 
models  for  the  normal  and  adolescent. 


[37] 


ETHICS 

Beautiful  dress  is  chiefly  beautiful    I 
in  color  —  in  harmony  of  parts —    \ 
and   in   mode   of  putting   on   and 
wearing.    Rightness  of  mind  is  in 
nothing  more  shown   than  in   the 
mode  of  wearing  simple  dress.  — 
JOHN  RUSKIN 


ETHICS 


+ — • — *HE  folly  of  woman's  dress  lies 
not  in  her  instinct  to  make 
herself  beautiful,  but  in  her 
ignorance  of  the  principles  of 
beauty;  in  her  ignorance  of  the  intimate 
and  essential  connection  between  utility 
and  beauty  or  the  beauty  of  use;  in  the 
pitiful  assumption  that  she  can  achieve 
her  end  by  imitation. 

The  matter  of  dress  is  important  be- 
cause bound  up  with  it  is  a  great  number 
of  social  and  economic  problems.  It  is 
part  and  parcel  of  the  problem  of  the 
cost  of  living,  of  woman's  wages,  of  waste- 
ful industries,  of  the  social  evil  itself.  It 
is  woman's  direct  weapon  against  bad 
fashions,  industrial  abuses  and  her  all- 
powerful  weapon  as  a  consumer. 

In  a  recent  publication  on  "The 
Woman  Who  Spends,"  Ellen  Richard 
says:  "Social  economics  is  pre-eminently 
a  woman's  problem,  especially  if  Mun- 
sterburg's  assertion  is  widely  true  that  in 
America  it  is  the  women  who  have  the 
leisure  and  cultivation  to  direct  the  de- 

[41] 


ETHICS 

velopment  of  social  conditions."  The 
very  heart  of  the  question  of  dress  is  then 
economic.  It  is  one  of  the  great  every- 
day matters  on  which  the  moral  and  phy- 
sical well-being  of  society  rests,  one  of 
those  matters  which  rightly  understood 
fills  the  every-day  life  with  big  meaning 
and  shows  it  related  to  every  great  move- 
ment for  the  betterment  of  mankind. 

If  man's  special  service  to  mankind  is 
to  make  life  possible  through  the  over- 
coming of  nature,  a  woman's  peculiar 
service  is  to  make  life  worth  while.  Since 
the  evolution  of  the  mother  she  has  always 
been  the  guardian  of  the  young,  the  in- 
spiration of  man,  and  the  director  of 
spiritual  influences.  Her  place  in  educa- 
tion as  teacher,  artist,  physician,  admits 
of  her  extending  her  influence  and  culture 
to  large  numbers  in  a  measure  never 
dreamed  of  hitherto. 

To  teach  effectively,  however,  one 
must  become  as  imitable  as  possible  as 
imitation  and  emulation  play  absolutely 
vital  parts.  Mr.  William  James  says: 
"The  entire  accumulated  wealth  of  man- 

[42] 


The  shoulders   are   made   to   appear  broader   than  the 

hips;    the  waist,  which  should  be  96.5  per  cent  of  the 

height,   is  out  of  proportion.     Compare  this  with  the 
natural  outline  on  page  44. 


ETHICS 

kind  is  passed  on  from  one  generation  to 
the  next  by  what  is  called  social  heredity 
each  generation  simply  imitating  the  last 
This  is  why  we  do  the  things  prescribec 
by  fashion.    We  do  not  wish  to  be  lonely 
or  eccentric,  and  we  wish  not  to  be  cut  off 
from  our  share  in  things  which  to  our 
neighbors  seem  desirable."    Even  force  of 
habit  gives  way  when  society  settles   a 
question  of  propriety,  and  this  is  especial- 
ly true  of  dress. 

We  become  conscious  of  what  we  are 
ourselves  by  imitating  others.  To  possess 
things  worth  imitating  or  to  make  herself 
imitable  in  a  high  degree  is  the  duty  of 
a  woman  of  taste.  It  is  a  part  of  her 
economic  function.  Every  woman  who 
contributes  better  standards  of  dress,  food, 
home  and  habits  for  others  to  imitate  is 
adding  to  the  economic  prosperity  of  the 
nation,  to  say  nothing  of  its  health  and 
happiness.  If  the  women  with  whom  you 
associate  dress  with  good  taste  economic- 
ally, healthfully,  artistically,  such  dress  is 
also  ethical  and  worthy  of  imitation.  It 
is  protective  imitation  because  it  will  add 

[43] 


ETHICS 

strength  to  individual  development.  It 
is  also  sympathetic  imitation  that  will 
move  the  whole  community  a  step  farther 
along  in  the  way  of  progress. 

The  highest  office  of  the  body  is  the 
expression  of  spiritual  life;  a  study  of  it 
therefore,  teaches  one  to  respect  it.  It 
does  not  induce  a  wish  to  ignore  its  lines 
in  clothing  it,  to  contradict  its  propor- 
tions, or  misrepresent  its  character. 

To  look  well  in  one's  clothes  depends 
largely  upon  poise  and  carriage  of  the 
body.  Woman's  life,  because  of  mother- 
hood, is  peculiarly  physical,  and  her  edu- 
cation should  follow  such  lines  as  will 
render  this  function  less  hazardous  and 
place  her  in  possession  of  the  knowledge 
of  how  to  preserve  the  strength,  grace  and 
contour  of  her  body.  If  the  eccentricities 
of  fashion  were  but  devices  to  "conceal 
and  supplement  nature"  without  injury 
to  her  health  or  morals,  the  problem 
would  then  be  the  interpretation  of  beauty 
in  relation  to  health. 

A  perfect  dress  should  be  accessory, 
having  little  value  in  itself,  covering  what 

[44] 


The  charm  of  a  woman's  form  is  in  the  long  curve 
from  armpit  to  ankle.  The  depression  at  the  so- 
called  waist  line  is  the  meeting  of  two  large  muscles. 


ETHICS 

it  does  not  conceal  and  calling  attention 
to  that  which  it  embellishes.  A  woman 
not  positively  deformed,  with  poise  and 
suppleness  of  body,  can  afford  to  ignore 
the  eccentricities  of  fashion,  because  like 
a  queen  who  has  the  air  of  one,  she  has 
the  good  taste  to  dispense  with  her  decora- 
tions. 

The  awakened  consciousness  of  Ameri- 
can educators  with  reference  to  education 
for  efficiency  gives  promise  of  a  better 
understanding  of  woman's  needs  educa- 
tionally. Dr.  P.  P.  Claxton,  U.  S.  Com- 
missioner of  Education  at  the  last  meeting 
of  the  National  Educational  Association, 
July,  1914,  said:  "What  the  schools  to- 
day believe  to  be  right  will  be  enacted 
into  law  in  the  next  generation."  Medi- 
cal inspection  of  schools  is  helping  to 
solve  many  hitherto  obscure  problems. 

But  this  matter  of  dress  is  a  woman's 
problem.  More  and  more  the  American 
woman  must  give  two  impressions:  one 
of  style,  the  other  of  individuality.  When 
she  combines  these  two  features  with  that 
judgment  that  comes  from  thought  and 

[45] 


ETHICS 

study,  there  will  be  a  union  of  the  best 
that  is  fashionable  and  personal.  To  meet 
this  demand  there  will  be  created  dis- 
tinctive American  styles  of  dress  which 
must  in  a  high  degree  be  ethical  and 
healthful  to  be  in  keeping  with  the 
thoughtfulness,  the  culture  and  the  inde- 
pendence of  American  women. 


[46] 


APPENDIX 


The  PATRICIA  GARMENT 

In  his  remarkable  work  on  "Ado- 
lescence" Dr.  Stanley  Hall  points 
out  what  he  regards  as  the  essen- 
tials of  education.  "The  health  of 
woman  is  if  possible  even  more  im- 
portant for  the  welfare  of  the  race 
than  that  of  man  and  the  influence 
of  her  body  upon  her  mind  is  in  a 
sense,  greater,  so  that  its  needs 
should  be  supreme  and  primary." 
.  .  .  "Bathing  in  moderation  and 
especially  dress  and  toilet  should  be 
almost  raised  to  fine  arts  and  objects 
of  constant  suggestion" 


The  PATRICIA  GARMENT 

E  Patricia  garment,  which 
was  patented  Dec.  15,  1914,  is 
my  solution  of  the  problem  of 
underclothing  for  the  adoles- 
cent. It  is  a  corset  substitute,  and  will 
meet  the  needs  of  all  who  enjoy  physical 
freedom.  It  is  a  four-in-one  garment 
which  combines  the  necessary  support  for 
the  bust  and  clothing  with  room  for 
growth  and  development  of  the  torso.  It 
reveals  the  subtle  lines  which  the  stiffness 
of  the  corset  conceals.  The  combination 
of  several  garments  in  one  eliminates  the 
need  of  bands.  The  construction  is  such 
as  to  make  laundering  easy.  The  con- 
struction of  the  upper  part,  which  in  ef- 
fect is  a  brassiere,  also  provides  for  sani- 
tary bust  forms.  This  garment  is  particu- 
larly adapted  for  use  in  warm  weather. 
It  can  be  worn  next  to  the  body  with  or 
without  knitted  underwear  and  allows  the 
air  to  reach  the  entire  body. 

The  muslin  princess  slip,  a  model  gar- 
ment, is  not  always  desirable.  When  not 
especially  needed,  or  if  a  colored  skirt 


THE  PATRICIA  GARMENT 
is  required,  it  should  be  adjusted  and 
held  in  place  by  a  circular  band.  They 
are  the  only  bands  that  do  not  bind.  But 
bands  may  be  entirely  dispensed  with 
by  cutting  skirts  with  the  proper  curve 
at  the  waist  line,  where  they  are  adjusted 
by  linen-covered  snap  fasteners.  For  ex- 
tra warmth  the  upper  part  of  the  skirt 
may  be  made  of  woolen  material.  From 
its  lower  edge  any  suitable  material  may 
be  used  to  increase  the  length  —  silk  or 
less  expensive  bengaline  or  cotton. 

One  skirt  over  the  Patricia  garment 
will  supply  all  .necessary  drapery  for  the 
figure ;  its  thickness  should  be  determined 
by  the  weight  or  transparency  of  the 
dress. 

Any  over-lapping  of  the  clothing  de- 
stroys symmetry  and  proportion.  It  must 
be  constantly  borne  in  mind  that  to  pre- 
serve the  outline  of  the  figure  the  cloth- 
ing must  be  evenly  distributed.  If  a 
jlender  appearance  is  desired,  keep  the 
clothing  smooth  and  thin  over  the  hips. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  say  anything  in 
behalf  of  knitted  combination  undergar- 

[52] 


THE  PATRICIA  GARMENT 
ments  since  they  have  become  popular. 
When  introduced  they  were  thought  to  be 
inconvenient  and  objectionable  for  many 
reasons,  but  time  has  proven  they  are  the 
reverse.  V 

The  pendulum  of  fashion  now  swings 
to  the  opposite  extreme  in  skirt  propor- 
tions. They  are  both  short  and.  wide. 
This  throws  last  year's  garments  out  of 
commission,  which  is  a  misfortune  to 
those  who  must  count  the  cost  of  living. 
A  word  to  the  wise  is  sufficient  —  exercise 
restraint  and  never  buy  extreme  styles. 


[53] 


The  Patricia  Garment.  The  essential  characteristics 
of  healthy  and  artistic  undergarments  for  the  ado- 
lescent are  support  for  the  bust  and  freedom  for  every 
muscle  of  the  body. 


Here  end  THE  ART  AND  ETHICS 
OF  DRESS,  as  related  to  efficiency 
and  economy,  by  Eva  Olney  Farns- 
worth,  with  illustrations  and  decora- 
tions by  Audley  B.  Wells.  Pub- 
lished by  Paul  Elder  and  Company 
at  their  Tomoye  Press,  at  San  Fran- 
cisco, and  seen  through  the  press 
by  John  Swart  in  the  month  of 
April,  nineteen  hundred  and  fifteen. 


1419&J    gOAprM- 


APR   17  1938 


13Dec5Hr 

,250ct'55BH 

CT 15  1955  LU 
OGTl  51955LU 


JUL    16  1938 
JUN 

MAY  4  1947  ^  U  1953 


vn     i  o' 


312H8 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


